Antidotes to a Consumer Society

Hanging Munchkins and Other Mysteries From Oz

Easter is a great time to bring the kids to the movies, isn’t it? The Wizard of Oz is a favourite family movie of many a parent, and one the whole family can still enjoy watching together. The colour is glorious, providing a feast for the eyes, as well as the imagination. I still remember seeing the film in the cinema as a kid (no, not the original release, in 1939, you cheeky thing) and marveling at the magic of the wonderful story that was unfolding before me. Particularly vivid is the memory of how the sepia-toned beginning of the story suddenly gave way to the magnificent, glowing technicolor as the story begin to unfold. And boy, what a story it was; what kid, or adult for that matter wouldn’t enjoy it? Surprisingly, although the original book (click here to download it), and a subsequent stage play had proved successful, the film initially didn’t do too well at the box office, although it is now a much-loved movie classic, and hasn’t lost its charm for later generations of film-lovers.

There are lots of stories besides the plot to entertain you, however, when it comes to the movie, and some of them are a bit more reminiscent of a horror movie than a kid’s classic. Like the one about the hanging munchkin, which is outlined in the following clip. Weird stuff! But seeing is believing, right?

It gets weirder. Some folks maintain that the movie functions as an MK-Ultra mind-control tool, and is chock a block full of Illuminatisymbolism. Here’s a video and some reading material on that whole business.

This next video is one of a series to goes deeper into some of the theories about the metaphors used and possible meanings. Tip: You can slow down the speed using the settings control at the bottom right of the player if you find the writing moving a bit too fast for you to read at a comfortable pace.

Want more weird, but not in the mood for a movie? Here’s a scary radio programme you might enjoy. You may even brush up your knowledge of mythology in relation to the MK-Ultra theories, or see the connections, if you are still finding them a bit nebulous or incredible. One thing’s for sure, it’s a pretty interesting story. Oh my!

Don’t fancy any of the above? Just wanna light up some of the funny stuff and listen to Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon? It’s not my kinda thing, but each to their own. This one’s for you, The whole album paired with the movie. You might even want to discuss the synchronicities between the movie visuals and the soundtrack, which are, some think, pretty freaky, man. Now that’s deep.